Did Carl Edwards ever win the Daytona 500? All you need to know ahead of his potential NASCAR return

2007 NASCAR Busch Series champion Carl Edwards never won the Daytona 500. His best finish was in 2011 when he came in second behind Trevor Bayne. Edwards also won pole position for the 2012 Daytona 500 but finished eighth in the race.

In the 2011 Daytona 500, Edwards started 22nd and steadily moved up the field. The race had a record 74 lead changes among 22 drivers and witnessed 16 cautions. He then positioned himself near the front in the closing laps. On the final restart, he made a charge toward the lead, drafting behind David Gilliland on the inside lane. He came close to passing Trevor Bayne but finished 0.118 seconds behind, taking second place. Despite losing, Edwards left Daytona with a lead of 42 points.

In 2012, Edwards started the Daytona 500 from the pole after posting a qualifying lap of 194.738 mph. However, he immediately lost the lead to teammate Greg Biffle. The race, originally scheduled for February 26, was postponed due to heavy rain and became the first Daytona 500 to run in primetime. By lap 110, Edwards dropped to the 21st position due to fuel pressure issues. Later, he was caught in a multi-car crash on lap 188 but continued with minor damage. The race went on for 202 laps after a green-white-checker finish and ended with Matt Kenseth taking the win. Edwards finished eighth and won 36 points from the race.

Edwards won the 2007 Busch Series championship and came close to winning the 2011 Cup Series title, losing in a tiebreaker to Tony Stewart. In 2005, he became the first driver to win his first career Busch and Cup Series races on the same weekend in Atlanta. He also won at Sonoma in 2014 and reached the Championship 4 in 2016.

Carl Edwards’ backflip celebrations were quite celebrated among the fanbase and he was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023. Edwards unexpectedly retired in 2017, citing personal reasons. He will be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2025.

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Speculations about Carl Edwards' return to NASCAR following Kyle Larson’s offer

Carl Edwards (left) and Kyle Larson. Source: Via Imagn

Kyle Larson recently extended an invitation to Carl Edwards to drive his Hendrick Motorsports car while he’s away competing in the Indianapolis 500. Edwards, who will be inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Friday, February 7, responded to the proposal in an interview with Bob Pockrass.

Edwards initially dismissed the idea with sarcasm but later acknowledged the offer, saying:

"My friend Chris Sentusi sent me that, and really, it's an honor. He (Kyle Larson) is one of the fastest guys to ever drive one of these cars and for him to say that, I don't know if he is messing with me."

When asked if he would consider driving again, Edwards replied:

"I'm very likely to crash a car if I were to get in one right now, but that is kind of interesting. I'd have to run the simulator or something like that and see if I can even get around North Wilkesboro."

Larson had previously discussed the idea with Jeff Gordon and Rick Hendrick, naming Carl Edwards his top pick for the role.

"I would love to have Carl Edwards do it, I think it’d be great, ‘cause that’s my pick this year," Larson said.

He even made a direct appeal to Edwards, adding:

"Carl, if you happen to see this, please, please jump in the #5 car."

While Carl Edwards has not given any confirmation whether he will take up Larson’s offer, his response has fueled speculation about a possible return to the track.